A Badger Amongst Snakes
by Clieo Of The South
Summary: A little change in the story. A Hufflepuff born to the family of Black. A husband sent to Azkaban. The heir of the Malfoy family sorted into Gryffindor. Everything changes when Narcissa leaves her old life, and raises her son without his father to oppress him into a perfect little Slytherin. Besides, Narcissa was never truly Slytherin, right?
1. Prologue

Narcissa Black had always been a strange child. Like her cousin Sirius, the lessons pressed upon her about blood purity and the importance of keeping power to purebloods never seemed to stick. She was constantly in trouble growing up for befriending children before finding out their blood status, and even had the nerve to call a muggle girl one of her friends. It was after this incident that she was forbidden from not only making her own friends, but from doing anything other researching the importance of her blood status.

Her sister Bellatrix constantly made fun of her for her punishments, and was seen as perfect in their father's eye.When she was sorted into Slytherin, it was like icing on the cake for Cygnus and Druella, who long considered their oldest the perfect example for their two younger daughters. For Andromeda, slytherin was not the house for her, and both she and the hat agreed that Ravenclaw was the house she truly belonged in. But she urged and begged, and the house placed her in Slytherin, where she was sat next to her proud older sister, and miserable for the entirety of her education.

Narcissa, liker her older sister Andromeda, did not exhibit any of the signs of being a Slytherin either. She was too nice, too friendly to everyone she met, and, if asked in private, without the scrutiny of all the other purebloods surrounding her, she would have told anyone that she didn't give a damn about the blood in ones veins. So, it seemed fitting to the sorting hat, at least, to place her in the friendliest, mixed blood house there was. But,with a quiet voice only the old, worn hat could hear, the small blonde begged. "Please put me in Slytherin! Slytherin, please!" It didn't take a genius to know just what would happen to her if she was placed elsewhere, and he was, after all, a magic hat. And while he wanted so dearly to place Narcissa where he knew she'd flourish, and be happiest, he granted her wish, and with a loud voice declared her Slytherin, much to Bellatrix's delight, and that of her parents.

She always wished she could have gone back, and allowed herself to live the life she was meant to, but time was funny thing. One always wanted to change it, but that, was never meant to be.

Narcissa fell into a pattern while at Hogwarts. When in class, she was a perfect little snake, she flaunted her blood status, and insulted muggle borns. She sneered at half-bloods in the common room, and listened to her oldest sister as she spoke of the importance of making alliances with other Slytherins.

But tucked away in the library, surrounded by Andromeda and her friends, she felt truly at home. All three sisters had been born two years apart, and while most third years would not want to hangout with a first year, especially a Slytherin, at that,one explanation from Andromeda was all it took for her to be quickly accepted as the closeted Hufflepuff she was. She got along well with all the other Hufflepuffs in her year, as well as those in years above.

It was with her older sister she really felt like she could be herself.

That all changed in third year, when her parents told her of her marriage contract with one Lucius Malfoy. He was a year ahead of her, and was known for being both handsome, and cruel. She had wanted to cry, to tear all of her things in half and run away. But it was her sister Andromeda that made her stay.

"But I don't want to marry him, Dromeda, I can't!" She had cried. The letter had arrived two weeks after the start of her third year. The decision was made without her, and she would have no choice but to follow through with it.

"I know Ciss, but you know what mother and father will do if you if you don't agree to this," Andromeda had whispered, clutching her sisters hands in her own. No marriage contract had been made for her yet, and she knew plenty why. She couldn't blend in like Narcissa, no pure-blood wanted to marry a muggle supporter. "You don't want to end up like me. It's too late for me to find favor in their eyes, but you still can."

Narcissa remembered every detail of that moment. The feeling of her sisters warm grip on her cold hands, the way Andromeda's dark brown hair fell off her shoulders in chestnut curls. The look in her brown eyes as she waited to hear Narcissa's answer. She nodded her head in acceptance, and took up her quill to write her reply to her mother. In the letter she expressed great happiness to have the opportunity to marry such a handsome pure-blood. But inside, she felt as though she had died inside.

It was the next morning that Bellatrix had revealed her expectant marriage to Rodolphus Lestrange after she graduated from Hogwarts in the spring. She was beyond excited, and Narcissa began helping her plan the wedding.

Narcissa was twenty-five when she gave birth to her son. Lucius hadn't been there as Voldemort had called a meeting that night to discuss an upcoming raid. She had been aided by their only female house elf Twinky until her healer could arrive. It was a long two hours, but in the end, she heard her baby cry, and she knew he would become her whole world.

"Congratulations, my lady. He's perfectly healthy," The healer told her, handing over the cleaned baby wrapped in a soft, blue blanket.

"Thank you," Narcissa whispered, all of her attention on the child, her child, in her arms. The woman was right, of course. He was perfect. She moved her arm to wipe the tears from her eyes. She was never the emotional type, but seeing her child was enough to make the tears start flowing.

She wished Andromeda could see him.

After placing two bottles of pain potions on the bedside table, the healer took her leave, allowing the mother and child to have their moment.

Thinking quickly, Narcissa called for Twinky. "Misses Narcissa is needing me?" Twinky answered, giving a short bow.

"I need you to fetch my sister for me," she told the house elf, her eyes never leaving her son.

"But misses Bellatrix is with master Lucius," Twinky said, confused.

"My other sister, Twinky. Her name is Andromeda Tonks. Please, I need you to find her,"

"Twinky will do my best, ma'am." She snapped her fingers, and disappeared with a pop.

While waiting for her elf to return with her sister, Narcissa fixed the pillows behind her and leaned back, resting her eyes as her baby slept in her arms. She was awakened from her dozing by a faint pop, and the sound of her older sister thanking Twinky.

"Dromeda, you made it," she said tiredly, opening her sky blue eyes to take in the sight of her sister. With a slight start she realized she wasn't alone. Clutching her hand was a child, around the age of eight or so. "Is that Nymphadora? Oh, she looks so much like Ted,"

The little girl smiled slightly at Narcissa as Andromeda sat down beside her and pushed some stray hairs behind her ear. "Of course I made it, Cissa. I wouldn't miss this for the world." She looked down at the baby in her sisters arms and smiled softly. "He looks just like you,"

Narcissa smiled at that, and looked back down at her son. "He wants to name him Draco, but I like Devin more," she explained, moving the blanket away from his face. "Nymphadora, would you like to say hi to your cousin?"

The little girl jumped slightly, she wasn't expecting to be spoken to at all. "He's so small," she commented, making the two women laugh.

"You know, you were as small as he was, when you were born," her mother told her, a small smile on her face. The trio stayed and spoke in soft in tones, Twinky had never seen her mistress so happy, and so, when she sensed master Lucius approaching, she made the decision to warn her.

"Master Lucius approaches, madam, would Missus like Twinky to escort missus Tonks home?" She spoke as soon as she appeared in the room, and was grateful of Narcissa's kindness towards her. The woman was never cruel to the house elves like Lucius.

"Goodbye, Cissa. I'll see you soon, okay?" Andromeda said as she stood, she grabbed Nymphadora's hand and they both waved goodbye as Twinky apparated them back to their house.

Little did either of them know it would be the last time they saw each other in at least a year.

Draco was two months old when Lucius finally bothered to look at him. The baby so far had not taken on any of the characteristics of the Malfoy bloodline. His hair was blonde, but it looked more like Narcissa's sandy blonde hair. This of course displeased Lucius to no end, but there was nothing to be done about it.

However, that didn't mean he didn't hold a grudge against his wife, no matter how ridiculous, for not producing a suitable Malfoy heir. He only held the child once, and it was with a look of almost pure disgust. Most babies had shown signs of magic by now, but his child had yet to show any inkling of magical ability.

After Draco's birth, Lucius seemed to focus more and more on aiding the Dark Lord. He spent most nights on raids, doing unspeakable things to people they went to school with, to children, and the elderly. She never asked him what he'd did on those long nights, and frankly, Lucius wasn't the talkative type any way.

One fateful day in October, Draco was awoken from his afternoon nap by the loud pop of three death eaters apparating into the sitting room of the Malfoy Manor. It had been a quiet day, with his father busy in his study, and Draco's mother sitting in the rocking chair of his nursery, her needlepoint in hand.

Lucius ushered them into his study, closing the door as Draco began to cry. "Hush darling, Mama's got you," she said to him, rubbing his back. She was sad to say that he was growing up, her baby was already one year old, and it seemed like yesterday he had only been a newborn, barely able to sit up.

"Would you please stop that infernal crying!" Lucius called from across the hall, barely masking the annoyance in his voice.

"Well you shouldn't have awoken him," she replied, eyeing him as she soothed her son. He eventually stopped crying, and fell back to sleep, his cheeks still stained with tears.

Across the hall, she heard the men arguing about the mission scheduled for that night. She usually didn't bother herself with the plans they made in that room, she made her stance on the Dark Lord very clear when she had married Lucius, and she had remained completely uninvolved for the duration of her marriage. But it was the name 'Potter' that caught her ear.

She had met Lily during her fifth year, the young girl had been sorted into Gryffindor, and separated from her friend Severus, who had been put into Slytherin. She'd helped both of them in potions, and even helped tudor the girl on how the Wizarding world worked. When she had heard that Lily and James had had a baby, just a month after she did, she was so happy for them, and she even sent Twinky to them to deliver a handmade baby blanket. Although her house helf couldn't find them, she had gotten a written promise from Albus Dumbledore that he would deliver it.

"The Dark Lord is sure the chosen one is the Potter boy, but we must not leave anything to chance," Lucius was saying, his pale eyes focused on the letter in front of him. "He wants Bella and I to go after the Longbottoms, while he and the rat go take care of the Potters,"

Narcissa felt a cold drop of fear, they were going to attack two of the nicest people she'd ever met, so they could kill their babies? Udder disgust filled her, and she glanced back at her son, fast asleep in her arms. The thought made her angry, yet she felt like throwing up too. 'I could tell Albus, he could help them!' She thought, her mind racing as she quietly made her way past her husbands study, and down the stairs to her drawing room.

She placed her baby on the couch, and covered him up with the royal blue shawl she'd worn to keep the fall chill from getting to her. But now, she welcomed the cold as she sat at her little writing desk, her ink and quill waiting for her as she first penned her sister, asking her for help, as she was about to not only betray her husband, but the Dark Lord himself. That was enough to make her a target of any of his supporters. But Andromeda was smart, she was sure come up with some way to help.

Once the letter was finished, she folded, and called for Twinky. The female elf appeared the instant she was summoned. Twinky, Narcissa knew, she could trust, the little elf was awfully smart, and even though they had four other house elves that more powerful, and more obident, Twinky was the one she knew would get the job done.

"Missus has called me?" She asked, her big brown eyes scanning her master's face.

"Twinky, I need you to deliver this to my sister, immediately. Then come straight back, I'll another for you to deliver," She said, her quiet, and her eyes crystal clear. Understanding flooded Twinky's eyes, and she nodded, taking the letter and disappearing with a quiet pop.

After Twinky left, Narcissa turned back to her roll of parchment, and wrote to Albus. The man had always been kind to her, even when she was pretending to be a full fledged Slytherin. He'd always had that gleam in his eye that made her suspect he knew she wasn't really supposed to be in Slytherin at all. She ended her letter with a quick explanation of her plan, to run and change her identity. She hoped he wouldn't make her become a spy, it was a life she simply could not live.

Her elf appeared again, this time with a reply from her sister. She took the letter, then handed her Dumbledore's letter, and instructed her where in Hogwarts to find him. This time, Draco woke up, his big blue eyes exploring the room. He usually spent most of his day in the drawing room with his mother, so it wasn't that big a surprise for the sixteen month old. "Mama!" He said, and she turned from her letter.

"Well hello! Did you have a good nap?" She asked, feigning happiness as he walked over to her, his chubby little legs were cold as she lifted him up into her lap, and she covered them with her sleeves. He sat quietly as she read the note, his head resting back on her chest, he could feel her heartbeat increase, but didn't know what it meant.

Andromeda understood the gravity of the situation, and she knew exactly what to do. The Tonks weren't by any means rich, Andromeda had been cut off from her share of the Black fortune, and Ted's job didn't exactly pay the best, but they still owned a small cottage in the wizarding countryside, a little ways from the house the Weasley's lovingly called the Burrow.

The plan was for her to move in, under a different name, and say she had distant relation to Ted's side of the family, a wizard relative from France. She would be safe from the Death Eaters, and she could finally live in peace.

By nightfall, her husband had left to do his horrid deed, and she had packed herself and Draco a bag, each enchanted to hold as much as possible. She had chosen the few plain dresses she owned, some shoes, and as much valuable items as she could. Draco's was full of his toddler clothes, and a handful of toys. She had told him he could bring more than just the set of blocks, and toy train, but he simply shook his head, and smiled at her.

She wouldn't notice until they had left that they were the toys that Andromeda had given him.

"Twinky!" She called, her hands sweaty with what she was about to do. Resting in her left hand was a silk glove, the best she owned. The elf appeared, and her already wide eyes widened even more upon seeing the navy blue glove. Narcissa knelt down, and made herself eye level with the little elf.

"Yes, mistress?" She asked, her voice quiet as she took in the moment. Had she done something wrong?

"I'm going away. Me and Draco are going to live somewhere else, away from Lucius. And I want to badly to take you with me, but you are tied to the Malfoy family, not the Blacks, so I'm setting you free, so you can decide where to go," She told her, her voice soft.

"Twinky hasn't been bad?"

"No. Twinky has been so good, that I want you to come with me,"

The elf's eyes began misting up as she smiled, and took the glove from Narcissa's hand. Her fingers shook as she placed it on her own hand, the fabric hanging from her fingers. Slowly, she felt the bond that kept her tied to the Malfoy's slip, and she quickly remade it, tying herself to Narcissa's magical energy.

Standing up, Narcissa slung both bags onto her shoulder, and held a hand out to Draco, then another to Twinky, and together the three of them apparated to their new home, and their new lives.


	2. Chapter 1

**So, in this chapter we actually have the story. Narcissa and Draco ave changed their names, and Draco is unaware of who his father is.** **Their new names are Melody and Devin Dubois (pronounced du-bwah).** **i have the majority of this story planned out, but I'm willing to listen to any comments you guys have on how the story should go. please review!!! tell me what House you think Devin should be!!!**

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Diagon Alley was, as it always was before the school year, busy, and crowded. With shops full of children getting robes, and books, and wands, it was no surprise to Devin that he would not be able to roam off and find his friends, Ron and Neville. His mother never liked crowds, which he figured, was predominantly one of the reasons behind their home being in the country.

To say that he was excited would be an understatement, in just two days he would be on the train heading to his first year at Hogwarts, and with the amount that Ron liked to go on with the descriptions he received from his older brothers, it sounded amazing. Waiting outside the apothecary store, Devin sat on the bench, and watched all the different kids, some his age, and others older, find their ways with their parents in tow.

He'd dreamed of going to Hogwarts the day Ron's older brother came back and told them all about it, and he'd been more than happy to see the letter arrive in the mail on the day of his eleventh birthday. Magic wasn't a new thing to him, his mother performed magic for him all the time, and he'd even gotten somewhat of an understanding while practicing his 'accidental' magic. But the real thought of learning to do the things his mother did was just… exciting!

Suddenly, his attention was brought to a man leaving the apothecary. He was tall, with greasy dark hair, and black potions masters robes. Then he recognized him, it was professor Snape, the teacher everyone hated. The man turned to look at him before briefly walking away. He stopped, and glanced at him again.

"Boy, do I know you? You seem awfully familiar."He ground out, his voice deep, almost monotone.

"I do not believe I have had the honor of making your acquaintance, professor," Devin replied, using all the lessons his mother had given him over manners and respect. "I'm Devin, Devin DuBois, I'll be a student of yours this year," He put out his hand for the older man to shake, but Snape just stared at his hand.

This boy looked very familiar, but Snape just couldn't put his finger on it. He opened his mouth to speak again, when the blond woman from the store walked out, and spoke to the child. "Devin, are you ready to go? We've just got Ollivanders left, then we'll get a treat!" She stopped when she noticed Snape. "Oh, hello professor. I see you've met my son,"

"Indeed I have, Ms. Dubois. I am looking forward to having him in my class." He replied, his voice thick with sarcasm. He know knew where he knew the boy from. The blond woman in front of him was none other than Narcissa Malfoy. She looked very different from the last time he'd seen her, her appearance hadn't changed so much as she seemed very much more happy, her sickly appearance was gone. And her son, Devin, as he introduced himself, obviously had to be Draco, he was the spitting image of his mother, with his sandy blonde hair, and blue eyes. But he could also see Lucius in him, if he looked hard enough. Clearly no normal person could this eleven year old was a Malfoy, but Severus wasn't quite normal, was he?

He'd recalled Dumbledore alerting him of Narcissa's plan to start her life over, and honestly, it seemed she had made a very valiant effort at keeping her son away from the dark things in life. "Well, come along dear, we can't keep the professor waiting," Grabbing her son by the arm, she led him away from the man, her eyes thoughtful. She knew Severus recognized her, the man wasn't stupid, but she knew she could trust him to keep her secret. He would gain nothing from outing them to anyone.

They stopped in front the old wand shop, and Devin looked at the sign inquisitively. He was still kind of confused about his encounter with his future potions professor, but his mother had explained that she knew him when she went to school, and that he looked enough like her that he recognized him.

They walked into the dusty shop as a girl was leaving. She gripped her wand happily as she left, her toothy grin helping to calm Devin's nerves. His mother stayed back by the door as he walked forward to the counter. He couldn't see anyone around the many shelves that lined up the back part of the store, and he glanced around for any sign of the old man that he'd been told ran this shop.

"Hello?" He called, looking over the desk to see if he was behind it. He nearly jumped out of his skin when the old man appeared from behind a shelf.

"Ah! Mr. Dubois, I was wondering when I'd see you in my shop," He said, walking forward. He already had a boxful of wands, most likely collected on a whim for the next person. He placed the pile of boxes down and asked Devin his wand hand. As the boy answered, a measuring tape seemed to come from nowhere and measure his arms, and his neck, and his height,and all assortments of different measurements that couldn't possibly be relevant, and yet, when the measure flew back to Mr Ollivander, he hummed in thought, and looked through his assorted selection before finding one to his liking.

"Dragon Heartstring, 10 and inches, very spiny, elm." He stated, placing the wand in Devin's hand. He admired the light color,and the grip felt very comfortable in his hands. But he remembered what his mother had told him. That there would be a feeling of warmth, and completeness when he found his wand, that it feel as though he'd lived forever with something missing suddenly becoming complete.

He waited for the feeling, even swished it a bit, but it didn't come. He shook his head and handed it back to the wand maker. Ollivander simply Hmm'd before looking back in his pile. He left the desk and looked through the wands behind him, mumbling about cedar wood, and walnut, before finding another wand.

"Walnut, 11 inches, phoenix feather, highly rigid."

Devin took the new wand in his hand, and instantly put it back. "That one didn't feel right at all," He said, his voice quiet. He began to worry he might never find a wand. Would they still let him go to Hogwarts without one?

As he silently worried, Ollivander seemed to get a twinkle in his grey, shining eyes. He ducked down, looking through the boxes he kept under the register, and pulled out a wand he had yet to add to his other shelves. In fact, he had only just finished making it that morning.

He placed in Devin's hand, quietly saying "Cedar, 10 inches, unicorn hair, springy and flexible."

Devin admired the wand, the wood was stained a deep, reddish brown, and the handle was carved delicately, with swirling lines that acted to enhance one's grip. It felt...right. He swished it, and watched as golden sparks flew from the tip, he felt that warmth, the feeling of completion his mother explained, and he knew, this was the one for him.

"This is it," he said, a smile on his lips. He turned to mother, showing her the wand that was perfect for him in every way. She smiled as she walked up, the wand really was beautiful, the spiral patterns cut into the handle seemed to fit her son's personality perfectly.

"I see, I'm so proud of you!" She told him, bringing out her coin purse. "How much?"

"Well, this wand has yet to be appraised, I only just finished it this morning, but, I'll take 8 galleons." He smiled. The price was obviously below what one would pay anywhere else, but Ollivander was never one to deny a want to those who couldn't afford it. The wand chose the wizard, no matter their financial standing.

After his mother paid for his wand, Ollivander turned to Devin. "Take good care of that wand, Mr Dubois, cedar and unicorn hair is an excellent pairing, cedar reflects undying loyalty, and makes you a challenging adversary should you find yourself in a duel. Like you, unicorn hair is beyond all measures loyal, and is a challenge to block. They do best with spells of the light, keep in mind."

Devin listened to him intently, his mind committing all of the Wand Maker's explanation to memory. His wand was a good reflection of himself, and he vowed to take good care of it.

Later that day, the two of them were back at home, Devin was up in his room, packing his trunk for school. He had all but one pair of robes put up, along with his books, his ink and quils, and all of his pajamas. Sitting on his bed, he took his wand off the nightstand, and felt the groves along the handle.

He didn't know why, but he felt he'd do great things with this wand. With a content sigh, he removed a text book from his trunk, and began to practice the wand movements required for their first spell.


	3. Chapter 2

**Figurer I'd give y'all an update, since it's my birthday! hope yall enjoy! And don't forget to review!!**

The train was packed by the time Devin made his way on board. The plush interior was comforting to him as he made his way past the many full cars until he spotted a familiar head of red hair. Smiling, Devin opened the door and waved to Neville and Ron. The three of them grew up together, having all been raised just miles from each other, they were always close.

Unbeknownst to them, however, was the magnitude in which their friendship effected Ms. DuBois, for the former Mrs. Malfoy had been responsible for The Longbottom's survival after the attack planned by Voldemort. The aurors had managed to get to their house in time, and fought off the death eaters attempting to kill their son.

And so, when her son, only five years old, came running back from the Weasley's house, talking up a storm about his new friend Neville Longbottom, she knew it had been the right choice to help them in their time of need. Sadly, the same couldn't be said of the Potters. She found out about Lily and James's death three days after it had happened. Twinky had come back from her sister's with the devastating news.

Luckily, their son had survived, and was being raised by Remus Lupin, for no matter how much she insisted, the aurors still believed the traitor to be Sirius Black. But, with her identity hidden, Dumbledore allowed her to speak in defense of her cousin at his trial, and his sentence was lowered from life, to only twelve years in Azkaban.

"Hey Devin! Did your mum let you bring a pet?" Ron asked, he'd been ecstatic about being able to bring his pet rat to school with him. But shortly before the school year was to start, Scabbers disappeared. He was so heartbroken, his older brother was able to scrap together some money to buy him a pet toad.

The little thing was a dark green, and supposedly could sing very beautifully, but only on the day after the full moon. "Nah, she said I could next year though. We're kind of tight on money after the Greengrass family dropped her service," He explained. His mother was extraordinary good at sewing, and was pleasantly sought after to make blankets and to decorate dresses. But many old blood families began to stop using her after discovering she was not only a half-blood, but had a child out of wedlock.

Devin had never minded he didn't have a father. He'd had plenty of father figures in his life with Mr. Weasley, Mr. Longbottom, and his uncle Ted giving him all the advice he'd ever needed. He considered a lot of people his family, and he was never short on people to look up to.

"Oh that's rotten, mate. Those purebloods need to take the sticks out of their butts," Neville spoke up, his wispy blonde hair sticking up. He made an attempt to smooth it down before continuing. "Your mum makes the most beautiful stuff I've ever seen, they're morans to drop her for such stupid reasons!"

"Thanks guys," Devin said, his attention on the scenery beginning to unfold in front of them as the train began to leave the station. It would be nearly dark by the time they made it to Hogwarts, and he felt another jolt of excitement as he realized he'd be at the best school ever with his best friends.

"Well, my brother Percy says that all the first year boys stay in the same dorm, so maybe we can share my toad? That way we both have a pet," Ron offered, holding his toad out for Devin to hold. He took her in his hand, ignoring the slimy feel of her skin, and moved closer to his face. "I named her Diana, since she's a moon toad, you know?"

"That's actually a pretty good name for her," He replied, stroking her back. Diana let out a loud croak, and moved slightly in his hand.

As they sat catching up on the events last few days, the door their car opened, and a girl with bushy brown hair stuck her head in. "Excuse me, but would it be alright if I sat in here? All the other cars are full, " She explained.

"Yeah sure," Neville said, and Devin moved his bag off of the seat next to him to make room for her.

"I'm Hermione by the way, Hermione Granger."

"I'm Ron, and that's Neville and Devin," Ron introduced, and each waved at her in turn.

"What house are you hoping for?" Neville asked, attempting to break the awkward tension that suddenly overcame the car. "I want to be in Gryffindor, like my mum and dad. But gran thinks I'll be in Hufflepuff,"

"I already know I'll be in Gryffindor, all my family has been in Gryffindor. My brother Charlie thinks it's in our blood,"

"Well, I'm hoping for Ravenclaw," Hermione answered, putting some of her long, brown hair behind her ears as spoke. "That's the house where all the most brilliant wizards end up,"

Neville turned to Devin. The three boys had always talked about the houses they had hoped to be put in, but Devin never really spoke up much when the conversation turned to him. "Well, my mum says she didn't go to Hogwarts, but if she did, she'd have been in Hufflepuff," He stated, a look of deep thought on his face. "And my cousin was in Hufflepuff, and she said it was the nicest house there. But i'm kind of wanting Gryffindor, so I can be with you guys,"

"I'm sure you'll be happy where ever you end up, Devin,"

"I hope I will be," He whispered back. If any of them heard his reply, none of them commented on it, as Ron changed the topic to the descriptions of Hogwarts his brothers had told him.

The stairs outside the Great Hall were packed as all of the first years waited to see just how their sorting would go. The assorted eleven year olds were whispering, their voices quiet, when the large doors in front of them opened slightly, and Professor McGonagall stepped out. She gave them a little speech about the school, and each of the houses, before telling Neville to fix his cloak.

Face turning beet red, Neville turned to Ron and Devin. "You could have told me!" He laughed nervously. The professor told them to wait while everything finished setting up. "How do you think we'll be sorted?"

"I don't know, but Fred said it was painful, and Charlie said I'd have to fight a troll, but I think they were just joking…" Ron replied, "At least I hope they were,"

Behind them, a short, dark haired boy spoke up. "My uncle said it would be pleasant, in a way. Like talking to an old friend," He was about the same height as Devin, only slightly shorter, and his hair was kind of curly, it sat on his head in an almost un-neat manner. "Whatever that means,"

"Well, if we do end up fighting a troll, I'm abandoning all of you," Devin added jokingly. The other boys laughed nervously as the ghosts made their way past them, eliciting a couple screams from those who had never seen a ghost before. After the spirits disappeared through the wall, the doors opened again, and the group of assorted first years made their way into the Great Hall, each preparing for whatever their future held.


	4. Chapter 3

**Sorry for my absence guys! This chapter was awfully difficult to write, but I think i have it right. Don't forget to tell me what you think!!**

The old, worn hat was lifted off of the girls head. She was beaming, her smile bright as she made her way to the table, her tie magically turning yellow as she walked. Hufflepuff suited her, Devin thought. The next girl, Susan Bones, went next. She seemed just as nervous as the last girl, before the hat declared her a Hufflepuff. She too had a very radiant smile. So far everyone was happy with their house, it made Devin even more nervous.

Terry Boot was sorted into Ravenclaw, a fitting choice for the serious looking eleven year old. Mandy Brocklehurst joined him, and then Lavender Brown went to Gryffindor, and then Millicent Bulstrode went to Slytherin. The table in green called out with cheers as their first first year joined them, they all looked very mean to Devin.

Then, "DuBois, Devin!" A feeling of dread washed over him as he walked forward, his hands gripping the edge of his robes sleeves. Taking a deep breath, he sat down, and the last thing he saw before the hat covered his eyes, were Ron and Neville's encouraging eyes.

Very suddenly, the hat began to speak. "Well, aren't you a fascinating specimen," He rumbled, and Devin nearly jumped out of his skin. "I can't quite figure out where to put you… You'd be awfully good in Hufflepuff, that's where your mother should have gone… But I see ambition in you, yes… Ambition to prove yourself, to make your mother proud, ambition like your father…"

"My father?"

"Hmmmm… But your ambition has no true focus. A good mind here, plenty of intelligence, a thirst for knowledge, yesss, and bravery too. Plenty of courage and talent… But a fear too, a fear of being a disappointment… Hmmm… A tricky one indeed…" The hat was silent for a moment, and Devin felt his heart pumping faster. The sound was muffled, but he could hear students beginning to whisper as his sorting took longer and longer. Surely longer than any of the other ones.

The assembled members of the student body and staff began to whisper even more as the time stretched to five minutes, and the countdown began on whether or not it would be a true Hat Stall. The murmuring became a bit louder. "Yes, I see…" The hat grumbled. "I know where to put you…"

The crowd cheered as the hat hollered "GRYFFINDOR!"

Devin was led to his table, feeling numb. He'd always figured he'd go to Hufflepuff, or Ravenclaw… But as he sat down next to Lavender Brown on the bench, he felt that same feeling he got when he was with Ron and Neville. He felt like he belonged.

The girl from the train ended up in Slytherin. Which surprised Devin to no end. He could tell she was just as confused, because she stumbled a bit, and made her way to the green table, fear in her brown eyes. But no one paid much attention to her on her table, and she managed to send a weak smile to Devin when their eyes met again.

The others went by in a blur, Neville joined him at the table, and they both whispered to each other, anxiously awaiting Ron's sorting. They were always together, it wouldn't be right if Ron wasn't with them at school. But before he would go on, another name was called that made the whole Hall erupt in whispers. "Potter, Harry," McGonagall's voice was as steely as always, but her eyes were on the boy in front of her, and not the scroll.

Harry Potter wasn't really considered famous,at least, not as much as he was when Voldemort was defeated. He was celebrated as the savior of the wizarding world for about two years before people realized he was just a baby. His caretaker, Remus had made sure to keep him in the spotlight just enough to get the people to realize that he was, in fact, just a normal child.

His use of magic that night was written off as the accidental magic of a toddler, and he was only celebrated as the savior of the wizarding world until he was soon shown to be just a normal baby. He went from being idolized to pitied, because he was orphaned. Being raised by Remus left Harry still in the wizarding world, and after seeing the scar, and calling the death of Voldemort a fluke of accidental magic, the boy had been left to grow up normally.

But still, the sound of his name brought a hush through the crowd all the same. The short, black haired kid from before walked up. He had somehow managed to erase all semblance of brushed hair in the twenty minutes since he had last talked to Devin, and his pink cheeks were nearly obscured by his roimd glasses. he pushed them back up his nose as Mcgonagall placed the hat on his head, and it was about three minutes before the hat made its decision. "GRYFFINDOR!"

The table decorated in red cheered, louder than it did with Devin. The other tables simply clapped politely, it seemed that Gryffindor got all of the special kids that year. Harry sat down quietly across from Devin, and pushed the round glasses higher up on his nose. Neville and Devin made sure to smile kindly at him as they continued with the sorting. It seemed to fly by in a blur, as they waited, and when Ron was put in Gryffindor, they cheered just as loud as his brothers as he sat down on the other side of Neville.

Soon, the feast began, and the three of them found themselves falling back into their same old rhythm, laughing and joking as they ate. They were all happy to be together, and they knew it would be a fantastic year.

They ended the feast with huge helpings of pie, and each fell asleep that night with excitement at what the morning would bring.

 **And yes, Hermione is in Slytherin! But before you try and kill me, i have a really good argument for her being in Slytherin!!! Plus just think of the potential for her character!**


	5. Chapter 4

**hey guys... sorry for my super long disappearance. it's been a long holiday season, and I've finally found the time to upload!**

Their room, like the common room, was cozy, with soft covers and even softer beds. The five boys assigned to that room all found their things and began getting ready for bed. Devin found his bed to the right of Ron's, and was happy to find that he had already received a letter from his cousin Nymphadora. He knew Dora would be upset he wasn't in Hufflepuff, but that was because she had a bet going with Uncle Ted.

She owed him 5 galleons. He opened the letter, and sat down on his bed to read it. She told him all about her new life training to be an auror, and how she already missed him and his mother, despite seeing them just a few days ago. The letter ended with Dora warning him to stay clear of Professor Snape, and it was advice he thought he might just take to heart. The man seemed awfully nasty.

With a silent promise to write her back the next morning, he changed, and fell asleep to the sound of Diana croaking by the window sill, her song just as beautiful as he thought it would be.

Class that day was a whirlwind of activity. The usual three found themselves becoming four, as they welcomed Harry into their friend group. He was a natural fit, and found himself laughing and joking around, his personality breaking through his shy outer shell. Transfiguration had been a class the four were really looking forward to, but they were thoroughly disappointed to find themselves copying notes.

But at last, they were all given a matchstick, and ordered to change it to a needle using the background philosophy from their notes. It was very difficult, and by the end of class most people only had a slightly pointed matchstick to show for. But Devin came the closest to a needle out of all of the Gryffindors, brandishing what looked like an ordinary sewing needle made from wood.

Their astronomy class was very interesting as well, with them staying up until midnight one night a week to chart the stars. "You know, the Centaurs use the position of the stars to predict the future. They see something happening under a certain sky as an omen," Harry told him one night as they worked on their star chart. "My uncle is really good friends with a centaur that lives in the forest,"

"That's cool! I've never met a centaur," Devin said, his cheeks growing red. "My mum and I don't travel much, so the only magical creatures I've seen is whatever managed to get into our attic,"

"I've kind of been all over, Uncle Remus writes for different publishers, mostly about history and magical creatures and stuff. He likes to go an be where they are," Harry pushed his glasses back up his nose as he marked the stars. Devin considered Harry pretty lucky to have been able to travel so much, but he also felt kind of bad, because of the situation that put him in the care of Remus.

Their charms class had been pretty interesting as well, but the most they'd done so far was practice waving their wands and pronouncing their spell correctly. Professor Flitwick had said they might not begin actual spell casting until October. That had earned plenty of grumbles, especially from Ron.

With the warnings from his cousin Dora in his mind, Devin and his friends were anxious to start their potions lessons that week. The classroom was in the dungeon, which was perpetually chilly, despite the warm weather outside.The Gryffindors were placed with the Slytherins, which was a disaster just waiting to happen, but with their fellow Gryffindors vowing to stay together, it couldn't possibly be too bad.

The door opened exactly five minutes before the class was set to start, and the large group of eleven year olds made their way inside, and found seats. Hermione was amongst the group in green, and while they usually always stuck to their own houses, upon seeing Devin and the others, she immediately came over, and took the seat beside him, causing Ron to grow flustered and sit next to Neville, while Harry sat beside Dean.

"Hey, how're your classes going?" He asked her, he noticed the looks the Slytherin's were throwing her way and immediately understood why she didn't want to sit beside her classmates.

"Pretty well, but the members in my house are awfully cruel. They were fine for the first day, but then they found out I was muggleborn and now they seem to hate me," She told him, her brown eyes welling up with tears. "They said that I'm filthy, and it was a mistake that I ended up in Slytherin. But the hat said that this house would be best for me to achieve my dreams… But i don't think i can handle everyone hating me,"

Devin opened his mouth to comfort her, but was silenced by the door swinging shut and the intimidating man who closed it. He seemed to be even more sour than he had the day they met in Diagon Alley, and his dark, penetrating eyes were already glaring at the fact a Gryffindor and Slytherin were sharing a desk.

Snape found it even more intolerable considering just who the students were. Lucius' son, sitting next to a muggleborn? If he wasn't already dead from the fact he was in the house of lions, this would have been the nail to seal his coffin. Not that the death eater knew, of course. What Narcissa did with her son was none of his business, if she wanted to keep him hidden from his father, then he'd do no good by revealing the fact he knew of the boy's whereabouts to him. He wasn't that heartless.

Opening his mouth, Snape began reciting the same speech he'd told all of his other classes that day about the intricacies of brewing potions, and the distinct lack of such foolishness as unneeded wand waving, when his gaze was drawn once again to the pair of whispering children in the back. "Anything you'd like to share with the class, Mr. Dubois?"

The blond was caught off guard by the shout from the front of the class, and his face turned beet red in embarrassment. "No, sir," He responded with a quiet voice, but the look on his face showed he had much he wanted to say.

"Come on, out with it. If it was oh so important to share with Miss Granger during my lecture, then perhaps you could enlighten us," Snape persisted, watching as the pale boy turned an even darker shade red.

"I was just telling Hermione that her housemates are a bunch of idiots for treating her horribly because of her blood status, that it doesn't matter," As he spoke the Slytherins on the other side of the room began glaring daggers at the two of them, but Devin didn't seem phased by it.

"Detention, both of you for speaking during class, and for insulting your fellow first years. As you for you," He turned to the group in green with a fire in his eyes that hadn't been there before, "We will deal with this issue in the common room tonight,"

No one bothered to voice a complaint as he then continued with the lesson and began the procedures for brewing a basic potion. It had been a shock to the others that Devin had gotten off so easy, but even more of a shock that Hermione had received detention as well. One of his snakes receiving punishment in the classroom was almost unheard of.

But even more so, was the fact that a Malfoy had stood up for a muggleborn, and that was what had struck Snape the most about the blue eyed boy.

 **Feel free to ask any questions! the next chapter covers Hermione's point of view a little bit, and the Slytherin's punishment!**


	6. Chapter 5

(The Great Hall, September 1st)

The hat sat on Hermione's head, and the view she had of the collected assortment of students was very suddenly blocked as it fell over her eyes. She nervously squeezed her fingers as she awaited the hat's decision. It was a huge surprise to her when she heard the scratchy voice in her head. "Well well, aren't you a tough one to place…" It said, and Hermione had to keep herself from gasping.

"I didn't know you could talk," She thought, and the hat let out a laugh.

"Of course I can, Miss Granger. Now, let's see what you've got in this head of yours…" There was a feeling almost of someone looking through her head like one does a book, and she was suddenly reminded of all the times she said she wanted to be like the headmaster, brave, and powerful, and respected. "Hmmm, a lot of ambition in here… Yes, ambition to be someone important, someone respected," The hat seemed to take a breath, perhaps to announce her house, but a cry from Hermione stopped him.

"Wait, but ambition, that's a slytherin trait…" She cried, her voice thick. "Everyone says they're evil...and they hate muggleborns, I won't survive a week there!"

"I'll have you know, the house of Slytherin is many things, but evil it is not. There are many who have come from the house of Snakes that have had the wrong place for their ambition, yes. But many who have put their mark on the world, as well. There are many children in that house that have been taught lies about the world, and many who are clueless of the real meaning behind their words… If you truly want to be the next Dumbledore, then why not help the world by being the influence the slytherins need? You could unite the houses in a way others before you had tried?" The hat finished his little speech, and Hermione was shocked at the words it spoke.

Could she be the one to influence all of her house to see that muggleborns weren't dangerous? Could she really unite the houses? She set her mouth into a determined grin. "Alright, I'll do it," She whispered, and the hat finally proclaimed her Slytherin.

She stumbled as she walked to her table, suddenly afraid of what she had agreed to do. But she knew she had the strength to do it, the hat wouldn't have put her in this house if it thought she couldn't handle it. With a deep breath, and a smile on her face, she introduced herself to the others at her table, and hopefully made new friends.

The two girls Hermione shared a room with didn't seem to be that bad at all. Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bulstrode were actually quite nice, and as she sat down on her bed and looked through her trunk for her pajamas, the three of them made conversation of the usual things girls talked about. After the third time of Pansy mentioning just how cute Blaise Zabini was, Hermione knew she was a hopeless romantic at heart.

"What about you," Millicent asked, tugging a brush through her hair. "See any cuties?"

Hermione blushed a deep red as Pansy squealed. "Oh, she has! What's his name!" She asked, though it came out as more of a demand in her excitement.

"I only met him on the train, but he seems awfully nice," She began, as the others leaned in. "He said his name was Devin, but I don't know his last name," She replied, hugging a pillow to her chest.

"You mean Devin Dubois?" Pansy asked, her smile turning to a sneer. "I'd stay away from him, he's not fitting for someone in Slytherin,"

"Why?"

"Because his mum is a halfblood. And I heard my mum saying that his mother and father weren't married when he was born, not to mention no one even knows who his father is. I doubt his mother even knows," Her voice took a tone that was not unfamiliar to Hermione. She heard people talk like that all the time behind her back when she was in normal school.

But the way Pansy sneered about Devin's father made her bristle even more. "What does it matter if his parents aren't married? That happens all the time!" She argued, ignoring the comment about his mother's blood status.

The look on both Pansy and Millicent's faces changed as they realized the meaning behind her words. Where Hermione came from, it happened. The information clicked. "Maybe where you come from, but here, bastards aren't really accepted into society," Millicent said kindly, her eyes on Pansy. The black haired girl turned away from the other two, and she began untucking her blankets from the bed.

"We should be getting to bed," She said, her voice masking anything she might have been thinking.

The next day, the news broke that Hermione was a muggleborn, and when the night before everyone had been inviting, and offering advice, they all gave her the cold shoulder, and refused to even look at her. She had spent the first week of classes that way, isolated by the others. The only person who really talked to her was Millicent, but only when Pansy was busy somewhere else.

Apparently not a lot of people liked her either, because she was a half-blood, but it wasn't seen quite as bad as being muggleborn. There was a certain hierarchy, and the purebloods were on top. Apparently it was everyone's goal to be friends with a pureblood, because they were the ones who would be the future leaders. Well, the future accepted leaders.

By the time they had their first potions lesson, Hermione was desperate for a friendly face. Devin was just as kind as he had been on the train, and the way he stood up for her to Professor Snape made her glad he thought of her as as much of a friend as she did him. She didn't even mind that the both of them had received detention, because Snape looked serious about the talk he'd be having with the other first years.

She showed up to her detention with Devin with a smile.

Exhausted from cleaning cauldrons, Hermione followed her head of house without complaint as the two of them made their way back to their common room in the dungeons. He didn't really pay her any mind, and she him. It was awkward, but not a bad awkward as he said the password and ushered her in. She found herself sitting amongst the other first years, as well as the second and third years. All of them had their eyes politely on Snape as he began to say his speech.

"It has come to my attention that you are mistreating a fellow member of your house," He began, watching as the students turned to glare at Hermione. She turned red, and began to nervously pick at her robe. "Before you begin to point fingers and name names, I'll have you know that it was pointed out to me by a member of another house. I am very ashamed, to say the least, to find out that it had to do with that student's blood status, out of anything."

He began to pace, his dark eyes sweeping over the assorted group of children. Some of them refused to meet his gaze. "I had hoped that by now, the stigma surrounding what makes a person 'pureblood' would have gone from our world. But it would seem you need to remember the damage the war cost those who followed those ideals,"

"Many families were wiped out, no matter their blood status, halfbloods, pure bloods, muggle borns and everyone in between were slaughtered in the worst ways possible because they didn't agree with the ideals of a man who was a hypocrite... I understand that a good portion of you have parents that were fighting on the side of you-know-who, but there is no reason for you to assume you have to follow their ideals."

"There are exactly seven muggleborns in this room, the rest of you are half-bloods and purebloods, You-know-who claimed that muggleborns were trying to erase our culture, to send us out of our world, to make us behave more like muggles, when that is very far from the truth. The amount of children coming into the wizarding world are few, they aren't trying to erase our culture, but with the way you all are acting, shunning them out, refusing to see them as they are, witches and wizards, just like you, is what is causing this 'erasure'. If you came to a new world and found yourself treated horribly for something you could not control, then wouldn't you want to make it more like it is where you come from? Magic is a gift, by acting the way you are, you are taking advantage of it, and what would you do if you needed help one day, and the muggleborn sitting next to you said no, because you were horrible to them?"

Many of the students were looking down in shame, their eyes not meeting the professor, or the muggleborns in the room. Hermione was surprised to find her eyes on Pansy, whose face had turned red as she realized the horrible things she had done to her roommates in the short amount of time they had known each other.

"Now, all of you get to bed. I expect an apology be made to the children you may have bullied, and of I hear about anymore prejudice between any of you and another student there will be severe consequences," The assortment of first, second, and third years began to gather their stuff and head to the dorms, but they were stopped as their head of house spoke again. "And for the next two weeks, all of you are to be writing me a three foot long essay, on the difference between fact and fiction when it comes to blood status."

The children didn't even groan as they continued to their rooms to think about the lies they had been told as children. Given Snape, the punishment was severely light, but they knew that there was more to come of they continued in the way they had been.

Pansy was found waiting within the doorway of their room, and Millicent and Hermione both found themselves anxious about the talk they were sure to be having before they could go to sleep. But judging by the tears in her eyes, and they way she seemed to be just as nervous as them, the two girls knew it would be an enlightening talk.

 **So as I am sure you have noticed, these characters are pretty different from the original ones from the book, but that's what fanfiction is for!** **I am debating whether or not Voldemort will actually be a part of this story or not... The reason i made this story was to see how much I could change the characters while still keeping them true to the story...** **What do you guys think, should Voldemort be a thing in this story? Who should be the bully? Let me know!**


	7. Chapter 6

**Terribly sorry for my absence, guys. School has been crazy, and my phone has been acting stupid. I hope you all like my new chapter! Theres some considerable changes I've implemented, and hopefully you all like them! Don't forget to review!**

During classes the next Monday, there was a considerable difference in the younger students of Slytherin. Both teachers and students alike were bombarded with apologies, and requests for forgiveness over their actions. Word spread quickly of the detention given to Devin and Hermione, and the punishment promised to the Slytherins.

Devin was seen as the hero that caused the Slytherin's to melt their icy hearts and come to their senses. But he always insisted that it had been Hermione that had really caused change. He had been happy to see her the next day at breakfast, talking animatedly with her two roommates, and a couple of other kids at their table.

A few students still distanced themselves from the others, too stubborn to turn their backs on the ideals ingrained in them since they were children. But the others were now trying to learn everything they could about the muggle world, and were even giving lessons on culture and history to them in return.

It was crazy just how much of a difference made on them in one night, but Devin secretly thought that all they needed to really change their ways was confirmation that what their parents told them wasn't the truth.

He sat down across from Harry at the Gryffindor table, interrupting the small boy as he read from their potions textbook. "Hey Harry," He said, placing toast and eggs on his plate.

"Hey," He replied, going back to reading his book. Devin honestly didn't blame him for wanting to get caught up on Snape's class. They wouldn't have his class again for a couple of days, but it was always a mystery as to what would be covered, especially since the dark haired man was well known to ask questions from different chapters at a time.

"What chapter are you on?"

"Chapter 6. A friend from Hufflepuff said that he quizzed them over it in their last class, so I need to make sure I'm ready for anything," Harry said, pushing his glasses back up his nose.

"But why?"

"Snape didn't get along well with my dad when they were growing up. I think he's worried I'll be just like him,"

"But that's not really fair, you're not him!" Devin exclaimed, his cheeks growing pink at the thought of Snape being mean to his new friend. The man didn't seem to be very mean to him when he had detention with Hermione that night, but there were always different sides to people.

"I know, my uncle Mooney said that I'm more like my mum than I am my dad, so hopefully I can show him that. She was really good at potions, so I want to be too,"

They were interrupted from completing their conversation as Neville made his way to their table, dragging a barely conscious Ron behind him. "Mornin guys," He said, sitting down next to Devin. Ron sat on his other side, and began to fill his plate with food the second he realized he was at the breakfast table.

They began to talk about their weekend plans, and made sure to keep Ron from inhaling his food too quickly. They all agreed to meet at the library later that day to work on their homework together. The sudden sound of the morning owls bringing the news brought their attention to the ceiling as they awaited their letters. Ron's owl hit him in the shoulder as he landed, placing a letter in his arms as he did so.

The letter that landed in Ron's hand was the usual, run of the mill letter he normally received from his sister, and he read it while he munched on toast before gasping, and dropping his letter. "Oh nooo," He moaned, slapping his hands over his eyes.

The others watched him curiously, before Neville worked up the courage to ask him. "What's the matter, Ron?"

"My dad got a promotion at work," He answered weakly, his eyes going over the rest of the letter.

"That's not bad," Harry replied, looking up from his potions textbook.

"Normally I'd be happy, but because he's earning more money, they decided to have another baby!"

"What?" Devin exclaimed, his eyes widening. "Why another kid? There's so many of you!"

"I know! But since Ginny is coming to school next year, mum was really sad about being alone in the house… My little brother or sister will be here in June… Now I'll have to deal with a screaming baby!" Ron complained.

He looked up when he noticed his older brothers walking to their part of the table. Percy looked green, and Fred and George had smiles on their faces that betrayed their new plans for the youngest Weasley. "How wonderful," Percy mumbled, his eyes landing on his youngest brother. "I'll have you know, I'm not changing its diapers, I had to do that enough with you, Ginny, and the twins, so good luck with that," He told him as he walked back to his seat.

"Oh, cheer up, Ronnykins, maybe mom'll let this one play Quidditch with you when we're out of the house!" They joked, causing Ron's face to turn a deep shade of red.

"This is fantastic," Neville whispered to Devin, the both of them laughing behind their hands.

Suddenly, the overcrowded house his friend lived in would be even more crowded by the time the school year was over.

The rest of their classes went pretty well. As the school year progressed, they began learning different spells and techniques, and house unity seemed to be at an all time high. The only class that was truly challenging was DADA, their teacher had a bit of a stutter, but he taught in a way that made it clear he enjoyed his job. He didn't skirt on the homework either, claiming that this was the most important class they would have.

Soon, it began to get colder, and on the night of the first snow, Devin found himself the only one still awake in their shared dorm. The heater in the middle was on full blast, yet with the draft coming from the window near his bed, Devin couldn't help but wish he had his quilt from home. He loved it at Hogwarts, but nothing could replace the warmth his mother had when she was happily telling him stories, or proudly showing him the intricate needlework she had spent all of her spare time on.

She was always happiest when Devin was around, and it made him feel terrible that she was alone while he was surrounded by his friends.

The blond burrowed under his blankets and closed his eyes in an attempt to get to sleep, when he heard a hard gust of wind, and suddenly his window was open, blowing cold air and snowflakes onto his bed. He hurriedly closed them, and drew in a breath as he waited for the quiet snores of his roommates to sound around him. He sighed in relief as their quiet sounds continued. Climbing back into his now cold, wet bed, he found himself with a sudden, piercing headache. He placed his hand up to his face as it felt as though it would split open at any moment, when he suddenly felt himself somewhere else.

He had the distinct feeling that he was still in his bed, now flopped back over his pillow, yet when he opened his eyes, what he saw was not the curtains around his bed, but a wall made of dark, dingy stone.

He looked around, taking in the feeling of the cold wind, and the sound of the ocean through the small window near the ceiling. It seemed as though it was some kind of cell, and he had the cold realization that what he was seeing was Azkaban. How he knew, he had no idea, but he was drawn from his thoughts by the skinny form sitting on the cot a few feet away. The man was obviously very tall, one of his legs stretched out from his body, while the other was close to his chest, his arms wrapped around his knee as though he were hugging himself.

His hair was long, and looked as though it had once been nearly white, instead hung from his head in dark, dingy strings. Despite the dark, and the dirt that caked his aristocratic face, Devin couldn't help but feel as though he'd seen the man before. He was staring ahead blankly, his cloudy, grey eyes focused on something far away.

A voice at the bars shocked both Devin and the man from their thoughts. "Look how pitiful you've become, old friend,"

The man looked up, his eyes regaining some clarity. But there was still an underlying unfocused gleam to them, however. As though he wasn't fully in his right mind. "Come to torment me again, Peter?" He replied, his voice hoarse, yet still containing an air of authority. As if he thought himself above the man on the other side of the bars. "We were never friends,"

"You know what I offer. It remains the same," The voice answered. There was a flash of movement, and suddenly a polished, black wand clattered to the stone floor at the man's feet. "I've brought you a little incentive. Perhaps, to help you make up your mind,"

The man simply glanced at the wand, his body still slack as he rested against the wall. "What makes you so sure he isn't dead? You heard what they said, a pile of ash was all that was left,"

"You are quick to lose your faith, Lucius," The voice said. Just then, there was a bright flash of lightning, bright enough to illuminate the whole cell. Devin gasped as he saw a stout man with eyes the color of blood, and a smile that seemed unnatural on his face.

The gasp of the man behind him crying "Master!" echoed in his head as just as suddenly as the vision began, he was thrust back into his body.

Devin awoke in a cold sweat, a terrible crick in his neck, and the sound of the others sleepily dressing breaking the echo from his thoughts. Thinking quickly, he swept the curtains back, ignoring the pain as the bright light hit his eyes. The journal was neatly tucked under a stack of his school supplies, and he quickly ripped out the one used page as he wrote down everything he saw with his never-out quill. The mere act of writing it down seemed to cause him to forget the bone numbing chill of the place, the whispered conversations, and the sound of the ocean beating on rocks until it seemed no longer as frightening as it had really been.

He carefully tucked the notebook into his school bag, to keep it close in case he had another dream. He knew deep down that it wasn't just a dream. It was something very important, and so, anyone who looked through his bag would see one more notebook than necessary, but no one would question it.

And two weeks later, when news broke of the escape of convicted Death Eater Lucius Malfoy from Azkaban, no one noticed the fear so clear on the young Gryffindor's face as he watched the picture on the newspaper show the man's blond hair, and grey eyes.


	8. Chapter 7

The dreams started to become more regular as the term progressed, usually only having one or two a week. They ranged from little things, like a glimpse of a conversation, or what the classes were about the next day, to seeing Death Eaters, and overhearing whispered voices in the ministry's many offices. They were so weird, and many things he knew he wouldn't understand until much later in life.

But he had been grateful not to have one for the entirety of his Christmas holiday. His mother could tell that something had been keeping him up at night. She worried about his classes, and his friends.

She read the Daily Prophet with increasing worry as everyday the search for Lucius turned up empty handed. The man hadn't been interested in his son when he was a baby, he had been glad it was a boy, so as to keep the line going, but with each day he didn't see an act of magical talent he grew angry that he might be a squib. Add to those concerns the fact the child looked almost nothing like him, and the Malfoy patriarch grew to dislike his wife, and by extension, his son.

It didn't hurt nearly as bad as she thought it did to hear of the affair he had with another woman. To hear him whispering to his fellow Death Eaters that she was with child, and therefore his old family was useless to him had hurt though. To hear that he had promised Draco to the Dark Lord had caused real fear to enter her heart.

Narcissa had pretended for so long that she hadn't heard those words, that her son was safe from the man who had killed so many innocent people. But even she couldn't deny that it had been the main motivation behind her letter to Dumbledore that saved the lives of Frank and Alice. She had just had enough, and the fact that people she knew, good, hard working people, would be killed, she just couldn't stand it.

On the last night of the winter holiday, Narcissa stood in the doorway of her son's room, and watched him sleep, blond hair spread across his pillow. She had been lucky, she knew. It wasn't easy to leave her life, to take Draco and raise him without a father. But she knew that she was better for him than Lucius was. She would always be the better parent. But in the beginning, there had been… not love, it was nowhere near love, more of an understanding. They had cared for each other, she had had hope for their future. And then Voldemort became a threat to the world, and he dragged what little bits of her husband that she loved down with him.

There were times when her son reminded her so much of Lucius. It scared her sometimes, the way she could look at him and see his father. She wondered if others could too, what with the man's face plastered on every newspaper as undesirable number 1. Thinking quickly, Narcissa grabbed her wand from the pocket of her robe.

The spell had been taught to her by her mother,it would steadily change the color of his hair, and it lasted quite a while, and if renewed enough, the effects became permanent. She casted it silently, imagining his hair turning from blond to the same bronze brown of Andromeda's.

Devin didn't even flinch in his sleep as slowly, his turned barely a shade darker. It would gradually continue until she could renew it when summer began. Smiling grimly, Narcissa shut the door, and walked to her bedroom, turning out the lights as she went. She wished more than anything to be able to tell her son everything, but she knew it was too soon.

She wasn't sure if she could ever tell her son the truth.

The Weasleys came by the next day to take Devin to the train station. Narcissa was swamped in holiday orders due before the new year, and wasn't able to take him herself. He gave her a rushed hug, and a promise to write before rushing outside to talk with Ron before they left. Molly was cheerful as always, her eyes taking in the many unfinished dresses and cloaks scattered about the small living room.

"If you need any help, please feel free to ask me," She told her, her words kind as she rubbed her growing belly. Narcissa had no idea how she managed so many kids, and was yet again having another one.

"I feel like I should be telling you the same thing, Molly. Any idea on the gender?"

Molly sent a scandalous look at her husband before leaning in and whispering that she knew, but the others didn't. "I've been keeping it a secret so far. The guesses on names are much better when no one knows if it'll be an Evelyn or an Evan, you know?"

Narcissa laughed at her analogy and walked them to the door, discussing the baby name book she had found Devin's name in, and offering to dig it from the attic, if she wanted. With one last wave at the band of redheads, she watched them walk down the lane to the Burrow with a feeling of sadness as she realized her son was growing up.

Shaking her head to clear it, she turned back to her work, taking the needle in her hand, she embroidered in silver the simple shapes of flowers and curly lines. She ran a business making simple clothes beautiful, and though she had been losing some of her highest paying clients due to the story that had spread explaining her situation, she still had much to do.

Her work, not to be big headed, was considerably higher quality than most, mainly because she did everything by hand, and not with her wand. It gave the art a more human quality, and she hoped to open a store one day. With just her house elf for company, she worked well into the night, eternally glad for the way her life had gone.

 **What do you guys think, are you happy about the new baby? Should it be a boy or a girl? Leave some name ideas in the reviews!!!**


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